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Trifluoroacetic acid

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Trifluoroacetic acid
General
Systematic name Trifluoroacetic acid
Other names Perfluoroacetic acid
Trifluoroethanoic acid
TFA
Molecular formula C2HF3O2
SMILES FC(F)(F)C(O)=O
Molar mass 114.03 g/mol
Appearance colorless liquid
CAS number [76-05-1]
Properties
Density and phase 1.5351 g/cm3, 20 °C
Solubility in water miscible
Melting point -15.4 °C; 257.75 K
Boiling point 72.4 °C; 345.55 K
Acidity (pKa) 0.3
Viscosity ? cP at ? °C
Hazards
MSDS External MSDS
Main hazards Highly corrosive
NFPA 704
NFPA 704
safety square
NFPA 704 four-colored diamondHealth 3: Short exposure could cause serious temporary or residual injury. E.g. chlorine gasFlammability 1: Must be pre-heated before ignition can occur. Flash point over 93 °C (200 °F). E.g. canola oilInstability 1: Normally stable, but can become unstable at elevated temperatures and pressures. E.g. calciumSpecial hazards (white): no code
3
1
1
Flash point -3 °C
R/S statement R: Template:R20 Template:R35 Template:R52/53
S: Template:S9 Template:S26 Template:S27 Template:S28 Template:S45 Template:S61
RTECS number AJ9625000
Related compounds
Related compounds Acetic acid
Trichloroacetic acid
Except where noted otherwise, data are given for
materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa)
Infobox disclaimer and references

Trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) is the chemical compound with the formula CF3CO2H. It is a strong carboxylic acid due to the influence of the three very electronegative fluorine atoms. Relative to acetic acid, TFA is 100,000-fold more acidic. TFA is widely used in organic chemistry.

Uses

TFA is a reagent used frequently in organic synthesis because of a combination of convenient properties: volatility, solubility in organic solvents, and its strength.[1] It is also less oxidizing than sulfuric acid but more readily available in anhydrous form than say hydrochloric acid. One complication to its use is that TFA forms an azeotrope with water with a boiling point of 105 °C.

It is also frequently used as a buffer in liquid chromatography for separation of organic compounds, particularly peptides and small proteins. It is a versatile solvent for NMR spectroscopy.

The derived acid anhydride, [CF3C(O)]2O, is a common reagent for introducing the trifluoracetyl group.

Synthesis

Electrofluorination of acetic acid with the Simons method is the best way to obtain trifluoroacetic acid. The anodic reaction of the electrolysis of a mixture of hydrogen fluoride and acetic acid below the voltage at which elemental fluorine (F2) develops is a mild reaction which leaves the carboxylic group intact.

References

  1. ^ Eidman, K. F.; Nichols, P. J. "Trifluoroacetic Acid" in Encyclopedia of Reagents for Organic Synthesis (Ed: L. Paquette) 2004, J. Wiley & Sons, New York. doi:10.1002/047084289